Indicator applicable to the teaching of music or the selecting and combining of colors



sept. 4, 1923. `1,467,032

M. S. FLORENCE INDICATOR APPLICABLE TO THE TEACHING OF MUSIC OR THE SELECTING AND COMBINING OF COLORS Filed Feb. 2l, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 usr lNVERSmN HARMDNOC MINOR TQIAD an INV Wwe ERS/0 sept. 4, 1923. 1,467,032 M..S. FLORENCE INDICATOR APPLICABLE TO THE TEACHING OF MUSIC OR THE SELECTING AND COMBINING OF COLORS Filed Feb. `2l, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 SEVENTH DQMINANT MINOR Sept. 4, 1923. 1,467.032

M. S. FLORENCE INDICATOR APPLICABLE TO THE TEACHING OF MUSIC OR THE SELECTING AND COMBINING OF COLORS Filed Feb. 2l, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 NVENTOR.

MJF/@Ww spt. 4, 1923.

M. S. FLORENCE NDCATOB APPLICABLE TO THE TEACHING OF MUSIC OR THE SELECTING VAND GOMBINING OF COLORS Filed Feb. 2l, .1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /N VEA/TOR. M/f/O/enae Patented Sept. ll, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARY SARGANT FLORENCE, OF MABLOW, ENGLAND.

INDICATOR APPLICABLE TO THE TEACHING 0F MUSIC OR THE SELECTING AND COMBINING OF COLORS.

Application filed February 21, 1923. Serial No. 620,480.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY SARGANT Fron- ENCE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Lords Wood, Marlow, Bucks, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Indicators Applicablel to the Teaching of Music or the Selecting' and Combining of Colors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to indicators applicable to the teaching of music or the selection and combining of colors in accordance with musical or color theories and has par- 'ticular reference to indicators of the dial type comprising a segmentally divided disc which may also be colored disc and a set of pointers cooperating therewith by superpon sition.

One of the objects ofthe present invention is to enable decorators, designers and persons similarly occupied but not gifted with the capacity to choose colors that can be harmoniously juxtaposed to invariably make combinations that will not clash or oiend the artistic sense or good taste.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved type of pointers or selectors for use withthe segmentallyA divided disc.

A still further object of my invention is to enable the various intensities or depths of various colors to be correctly selected.

In music it is of course well known that notes separated by certain musical intervals will give a pleasing chord if struck simultaneously whereas yothers will make an objectionable noise or discord, and the use of dials or the like segmentally divided to correspond with the musical intervals of the diatonic scale is known for enabling students of music to learn the notes of various chords by placing over the dial triangular or other shaped plates or pointers having their corners or equivalent markings spaced apart correspondingly to the musical intervals of the notes of pleasing chords If such a plate or pointer is placed on the dial with the appropriate corner pointing to the bass note ot the required chord the remaining notes can be read oi at the other corners. Dials colored segmentally on the traditional chromatic circle which consists of six equal arcs distinguished by six specific' color names, have also been proposed for use with cornered plates or pointers for color selecting or harmonizing purposes but the present invention is based upon the division of the circle into seven arcs distinguished by seven specific color names and of which live of the arcs areequal and respectively double the length of each of the remaining two arcs which are equal to one another. Each of the five arcs I divide into two. Consequently the traditional chromatic circle when embodied intoltwelve equal sub-divisions carries with it sixA specific color names, whereas the circle in accordance with the present invention although when sub-divided as to the aforesaid five arcs also shows twelve equal sub-divisions is distinguished from the former by its seven specific color names.

My invention therefore in one of its embodiments comprises a dial or the like divided according to the intervals of the subdivided diatonic scale into segments each named after and in the order of the semitones of the scale and successively colored with the colors lof and in the order in which they occur in the visible spectrum, and a number of selecting plates presenting corners, markings or the like spaced according to the musical intervals of notes or equivalent har-` monic combinations of notes, the said plates or pointers co-operating with the dial or the lilie to indicate a number of colors in harmonic relation. If for example three colors in harmonic relation are desired, a triangular pointer with corners spaced according to the notes of a triad may be used, and if four colors are required a four corneredl pointer with corners spaced according to the intervals of a li-part chord such as a seventh or a dominant seventh may be used. In the case of the triad pointer the tonic corner is pointed to the tonic of the chord, whilst in the case of the Li-part chord pointer the tonic or the root corner is employed according as to whether the chord is a direct or a derived chord and the remaining members are indicated by the corners numbered successively l', 2 and 3. For inversions of this Li-part chord the corners are read as follows first inversion-1, 2, 3 root; second inversion-2, 3, root, l; third inversion-3 root, 1, 2.

A further feature of my invention consists in an improved form of pointers or selectors whether lfor use with the particular segmentally divided and colored dial above described or merely divided without being colored. My improved selectors in their preferred form are not polygonal but are in the forni of discs havin; r slots therein so spaced that harinonizing notes or colors are indicated through thc slots by superposition on the dial. It is to be noted that as my improved dial is subdivided and colored sectorially to correspond to the semi-tones of the diatonic scale, the slots in my selector discs must be correspondingly spaced angiilarly thereby ditl'ering from selector discs slotted to co-operate with color discs divided in accordance with color theory as opposed to musical theory. The selectors are preferably slotted radially to a considerable extent and the dial is preferably colored with successive concentric bands so that each slot exposes a color in several grades of intensity or depth.

The above features of my invention and such others as are incidental thereto will now be described more fully' with reference to the accompanyingr drawings which represent the preferred embodiments of my dial and a number of pointers for use therewith.

Figure 1 is a plan View of one of my dials by itself.

Figure 2 is a similar View of the dial with a cooperating pointer in selecting position thereon.

Figure 3 illustrates the opposite face of the pointer shown in Figure 2.

Figures 4 to 1'1 illustrate other pointers for use with the dial.

Figure 12 is a plan view of a dial divided and colored segn'ientally in accordance with musical theory, and also colored with concentric bands of graded intensity.

Figures 13 and 14 are plan views of a triad selector of my improved disc type placed in position on the dial shown in igure 12 the successive concentric bands being visible through the slots.

Figures 15 to 20 are plan views of other selector discs for use with the dial shown in Figure 12, the radial slots being spaced in accordance with various musical intervals.

Referring first 'to Figure 1 it is seen that the face of the dial is divided equally into twelve segments corresponding with the sub-divided intervals of the diatonic scale, and that twelve colors selected in the order in which they occur in the visible spectrum are allotted to the twelve segments. These twelve segments are derived from seven segments five of which are equal and twice the size of the other two, and the five are then divided in' two. The two smaller segments correspond to the musical seniitone intervals between the notes B and C and the notes E and F respectively; the other five segments correspond to the other whole tone intervals according-to the other notes of the musical scale the sequence of course corresponding 'to' whole tone, whole tone,

senii-tone, whole tone,` whole tonc. whole tone, semi-tone. lach whole tone` is divided into two seinitoiies thus producin'g a coniplete dial of twelve segments representing the twelve seinitones of the diatonic scale.

Figure 2 shows a pointer the corners ot' which point to three colors in liarmonic relation corresponding with a major triad in music, it being understood that the corners of the pointer are so spaced that they do in fact register with the dial segments corresponding with the intervals ot' a major triad. i

If three harmonic colors corresponding to a Ininoi triad are required the pointer of Figure 2 is reversed and applied in the same way, i. e. with the tonic corner of the reverse side over the bass note, the other two corners then indicating the other two notes ot' that 'minor triad.

It will be appreciated that since the musical intervals between the notes of a chord aie the same in whatever key the chord is played, my pointers may be placed on any group of colors and serve as chord-builders. For example in the case of using a triad pointer the corner marked tonic may be placed in any color segment corresponding to the bass or fundamental color of the desired color scheine.

In the case of requiring more than three colors or a juxtaposition of colors different from those given by the triad pointer any one of the pointers illustrated in Figures 4 to 11 may be used.

The pointers represented by Figures 4 to 11 are successively; major diatonic scale; minor diatonic scale nant major ninth; dominant minor ninth; dominant seventh (major and minor) and augmented sixth. I

There it is required to select colors corresponding to chords of the dominant in any tonality chosen, the root (or bass-note of the chord) is indicated by placing the corner that is marked root on the dominant chord pointers upon the dominant (fifth) of the tonic. The remaining corners being marked respectively 1, 2, 3, 4, the original position of the dominant chord is given by reading successively root 1, 2, 3, 4. For inversions of the saine chord the pointer is retained in the same position and read thus-first inversion 1, 2, 3, 4; second inversion 2, 3, 4, 1; third inversion 3, 4, 1, 2; fourth inversion 4, 1, 2, 3 (when used, and' subject to the laws that hold in musical harmonic theory).

Although I have described my invention as taking the form of a dial with superposing plates it is of course capable of structural modification. For example the dial might be substituted by a cylinder and the plates by encircling rings.

As my indicator is particularly intended t major chord of the seventh; min'oi" chord of the seventh; donii 1 Q @ifi fera-bly.atl i' i1. .n e heaintensi l" `lg n.. and thirte interi ls ment as the centr is approached... Altho'ug Ihra'ehea'lr'fformi' t@ I hare shoufl yight gradesifof; cloniinfiithe segments ma e n1 v drawing it 15,130 A,tomegunderstoodctlra .Lthi names officier in any way limits the number of grades of colore color that may be 'i'rrarigedidbetivzeitlie Obxiiouslyap -1 circumference and the centre ofthe circle. dial, the musicalv notation thereon n con- Figures 13 to 2O illustrate various selecjunction with the selector discs is a valuable tors of the radially slotted disc type in aid to the self-teaching of music and musical accordance with my invention. Each of theory. these discs is slotted radially in accordance W'hatl claim is: 30 with the musical intervals of a particular 1. A device applicable tothe selecting and 95 chord and it Will be appreciated that the combining of colors, comprising a dial didisc which is used for any particular purvided into segments corresponding in numpose will depend u'pon the number of colors ber to the intervals of the sub-divided diait is desired to combine; for instance if three tonic scale and colored in accordance with harmonic colors according to a major triad the sequence of colors apparent in the visiare required the disc shown in Figure 13 is ble spectrum, and a plurality ot differing used. The Ltonic in this case is lplaced selector members having indications spaced over the color corresponding to the bass according to the musical intervals of harnote, the two other slots then indicating the monic combinations of notes and capable of colors corresponding to the two other notes (zo-operating with the dial by superposition of that major triad. It will be understood to indicate a Vnumber of colors in harmonic that all the grades in intensity of any parrelation. y y tieular color are seen through the slots and 2. A device applicable to the teaching of any one grade of color in any one slot may music and the selecting and combining of be combined with any other grade in a comcolors, `comprising a dial divided into segbining color. ments corresponding in number to and As the musical intervals between the notes named after, the intervals of the sub-divided of a chord are the same in Whatever key the diatonic scale and colored in accordance chord is played the discs may be placed on with the sequence of colors apparent in the any group of colors, that is to say that if visible spectrum, and aplurality of different one slot is placed on any color segment corselector members having indications spaced responding to thebase or fundamental hue according to the musical intervals of harA of a color scheme the other slots will cor-A monic combinations of notes and capable of rectly indicate the other hues of the desired co-operating with the dial by superposition color scheme. to indicate anumber of colors and notes in 120 Vhere it is required to select colors corharmonic relation. responding to chords of the dominant in any 3. A device applicable to the selecting tonality chosen the root (or bass note of the and combining of colors, comprising a dial chord) is indicated by placing the slot that divided into segments corresponding in is marked root on the dominant chord discs number to the intervals of the sub-divided upon the domina-nt of the tonic. The rediatonic scale' and colored in accordance maining slots being marked respectively in with the sequence oil colors apparent 1n thc their order say 1, 2, 3, the original position visible spectrum, and dlvlded as to each in this case being given by-reading successegment into concentric bandsnand a p lusively rootl, 2, 3. For inversion of the rality of differing selector discs having elongated radial slots therein spaced according to the musical intervals of harmonic combinations of notes and capable of co-operating with thedial by superposition to indicate a number of colors in harmonic relation and different intensities of cach of the exposed colors.

4. A device applicable to the selecting and combining of colors, comprising a dial divided into twelve sectors corresponding to the intervals of the subdivided diatonic scale and colored in accordance with the sequence of colors.apparent in the visible spectrum each color being in concentric bands of graded intensity, and a plurality of differing selector discs having elongated radial slots therein for individual superposition on said dial to expose harmonically related colors and different intensities of each exposed color.

5. A device applicable to the selecting and combining of colors, comprising a dial di' vided into twelve sectors having 1n sequence the color names ruby red, Carmine-scarlet, orange, yellow orange-orange yellow, yellow, green yellow-yel1ow green, blue green-peacock blue, cerulean, lapis-blue violet, violet, red violetviolet purple, purple-garnetand a plurality of differing selector plates having indications spaced according to the musical intervals of the diatonic scale and capable of co-operating with the dial by superposition.

6. An outfit for use with a segmentally divided dial of a device of the dial and superosed selector type as described, co1nprislng, a plurality of differing selector members each member having;r slots therein spaced according to the musical intervals of one of a plurality of differing harmonic combinations of notes, for exposing corresponding parts of the dial when any of said members 1s superposed thereon whereby the range and capabilities of the device is in creased in accordance with the number of said selector members.

7. An outfit according to claim 6, said slots being elongated radial slots.

MARY SARGANT FLORENCE. 

